TriAya (Yanti) and lmscozz (Lynn), Manatee Mentors--FULL! (Page 41)

This brought tears to my eyes.  And not just because I have my period and just got home from an incredibly long day driving the kid shuttle to find that hubs had a grand time building forts in the family room with the little ones and is now sleeping leaving me sitting here trying to avoid staring at the mess that will ultimately be my responsibility to clean up.  Although that might have a little to do with it.  Did I mention they ate all the cookies too?

But seriously, or at least the closest facsimile I can produce, there are no other fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals that I'd rather hang with than you girls.  And Ryan.  I, however, believe that Baby Blackledge will be a girl.  After all the time he's spent immersed in our estrogen I'm sure all those little X-spermies had enough girl power to win the race to the egg.

Now THAT is a cryin' shame, for sure.

Bets on Baby Blackledge. As the date draws closer we'll have a Manatee Pool for when he (heh heh) actually pops out.

I think this all requires a giant group Manatee {{{MELON PRESS}}} ...

A pool may be a good idea since we are already split (Yanti - boy and Allison -girl).  The funny thing is both my DW and I think it's a girl.  Well actually I am not sure but I got tired of calling the baby "it" so I started talking with such terms as "she, her, etc" Hmmm.  We find out in mid-late October to get your wagers in now!    And if it's a girl can I blame/congratulate all of my fellow manatees for contributing to the estrogen?
And I too like the idea of our group sticking together for longer.  You all have helped out A LOT this year!  And it has been great meeting everyone and actually meeting 2 manatees in person!


Edited by blackledge 2010-09-10 9:38 AM

I am glad that others are in it for the long haul too!!

Ryan, I cannot make an informed decision without some facts.  What was the baby's heart rate at your last appt?

YAAAAAAAAAAAAY LYNN CDA!!!!!!!!!!

I'm probably far more excited for you than you even are. Don't worry, I'll keep building on it anyway

Thing about CDA is that it seems to inspire some fanaticism in ironwhores. People LOVE this race and keep coming back to it. (Not just 'cause Lance keeps showing up, either) ... more so than other iron races. You are going to have a blast. It's gonna be like a 14-hour party for you. The worse the swim, the more fun the party. I guarantee it. Nuttin' like IM war stories.

Congrats on the signup and committment to the IMCDA next year Lynn! That's awesome.  And good luck on your continued marathon training.  I am going to try to build up my distances in all 3 disciplines this winter so we'll see how that goes.  I don't know about the Draino test but will have to do more research and let DW know.  She tried the thread/needle over the palm test.

Kerry-  I will check and get back to you on that.  I like your thinking of research before jumping on the bandwagon

Here's a PM I wrote someone regarding mental training ... could be of some vague interest.

Just some random thoughts and tips here.

I have found breathing meditations to be indispensable to training. I can lower my heart rate at will anytime, even if I'm redlining in a sprint. It's great! Also, it's fantastic for swim starts--perfectly calm and relaxed before the race, AND into the water, so I never get that rush/panic/breathlessness in the first few minutes of a race.

A really simple start to breathing meditation is to set aside 5 min at first to practice it. (I like first thing in the morning, but anytime of day is fine). Good posture, sitting down. Relaxed. Don't try to control your thoughts--let them wander at will. DO try to focus only on the feeling that air is making at the entrance of your nostrils--in, and out. Breathe deeply and slowly as if pulling in from your stomach. Make even your lower stomach expand with breath. Pretend you're trying to pull breath into your upper legs. Don't hold, but then exhale just as slowly. At all times, DO try to focus only on the movement of air past your nostrils (but don't try to manage your thoughts. Let them be).

As for visualization--same thing, although I've found it easier to set aside 15-30 min every once in a while (every few days or even weeks) to SPECIFICALLY VISUALIZE and mentally move my body and mind through the motions of a goal, whether it's training or racing. For example, if I want to improve my swimming form, I relax, and I visualize myself swimming. I practice drills. I see my body, feel my body making the perfect movements. I "move" through an entire swim practice this way.

If it's a race, for sure, at least once (better several) times before the race, I'll take up to 30 min to visualize the entire race. I visualize arriving, being calm, and go through the motions of setting up transition in my mind. I walk down to the water. (etc etc etc) I execute the ideal race in my mind. It is phenomenal preparation

I have to admit...since Ryan made his announcement, my mind has gone to think of the kiddo as a girl.  Not sure why.

Kerry - The heart rate was 164 bpm at our last appt (11 weeks old).  We have another appt within the next two weeks so I'll keep everyone updated.

Wow, I don't check in for a few weeks and SHITE!  Yanti!  Unbelieeevable! Mine's 7, but that's close enough.  I get it.    Congrats to you and yours!  

Ryan, my vote is boy.  I love the mystery of waiting until a baby comes out to know who he or she will be!

My problem right now is that I am the lowest of the low:
DFL>DNF>DNS>DNT  Yeah, not doing much training at the moment.  Now, for the good training news:  Winter is the better training season around these parts, and I am really, really trying to get back to it.  So yes, I may go silent for long embarrassed periods but I am also in for the long haul.

Waves to all! 

Yanti, I "heart" you! Yes it will be a party, a 14- hour party.

Welcome back dineen! Glad you are still with us!

Ryan, I am going to go with GIRL!

And I am only wrong the very rare 50% of the time

<Waving madly> hello Dineen!

Did my 5k this morning.  Not a great time compared to my last tri but no one did too great since it was pouring rain when we started.  Kind of hard to get warmed up when you're freezing and dripping.  It was a small race but I think I finished 6th overall for the women which should put me first or second in my AG.  The best part was coming around the last turn and having my two youngest cheering for me.  They were so excited and the little dude ran right up to the edge of the path screaming "Mommy, you runn'in!  You runn'in!" which was the only reason I was smiling as I crossed the finish line. 

Biggest prize ever.

It's no fun doing an open-water run--been there. You did AWESOME and you are a serious example of HTFU to have given the race what you did, AND of course the placings are phenomenal. Congratulations!

{{{MELON PRESS}}} flipper flapping wave

Lowest of the low is the other side of the grass. You're doing great. Post if you can, but remember, no need to be embarrassed if you're not doing anything. Life intervenes, moods intervene, etc.

Nice job out there Allison!  I was thinking of you when it was raining on Sat. morning. Congrats on such a high place finish especially given the weather.  We'll def have to get together for a run/ride soon. That's great that your family braved the elements too and came out to support you

OK you guys had a lot of fun while I was gone...I'll be back tomorrow for witty Manatee banter.  For now, my race report is up.  Enjoy, it was a bloodbath.  Heart,Q

A lulu! Quincy, you are every shade of magnificent!!!

The cub scouts can't decide what my new call sign should be:  Magellan or "Wrong Way Fleming." Maybe I'll paint it on my bike.  My husband says I am taking it better than he would be.  I just can't be mad, it's so ridiculous.  I keep laughing about it.

Q, thanks for the inspiring race report.

I ran yesterday.  Woo hoo!  I may even do it again tomorrow.  My run yesterday was after a bit of a hissy fit -- I am frustrated that I am still so slow (largely because I've barely run in over 2 mos, DUH) and that I gained back every ounce that I lost at the height of my initial tri training.  It is really hard to get over the notion that I am fooling myself if I think I am in any way athletic after a lifetime of being the bookworm, not an athlete.  But I went out, and I am glad I did.  I also realized, while I was running, that it was a year ago last week that I started couch to 5K.  And look how far I have come!  Even with 2 months of sloth and life in the way, I managed to run three 5Ks, a 15K, compete in a sprint tri.  I have started seeing a new doctor (who has a nutrition counselor on staff) and I am going to attack this weight thing again with a vengance, dangit.  That's the best way to get faster, right?  Most of all, I enjoy how I feel when I exercise.  So I need to remind myself of that and get my to bed at night and up in the morning.

Magellan! Magnificent Magellan! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Oh Q. You always make my day.

Q, your insane race report coupled with my insane morning have given me a brilliant idea to solve the problem of wet shoes in transition!  Instead of shoving our shoes in bags and having to wrestle with wet plastic to pull them out I propose we simply fill our shoes with rice which will soak up any water that seeps into them and can be quickly dumped out.  I know, it's genius.

Seriously though, wet stuff at transition sucks and rice probably isn't the solution although I can vouch for about 4 cups of it emptying out of a calf high boot in less than 15 seconds so it might be worth experimenting.  Don't ask me how the rice got in the boot because it's been in a box in storage for the last year.  Full of rice apparently.

I'm stuck right now.  I only ran about a mile yesterday because my day went bat shhhhh it crazy and then I didn't get to run at all today because of more BSC.  I already know I can't run Thursday or Friday so that leaves tomorrow.  Do I go for a good run or just say screw it because the rest of my week is screwed and go for a joy ride on the bike?